Brazilian 'geese agents' honk in case of prison break

A goose eats grass in St James's Park in London, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

SAO PEDRO DE ALCANTARA, Brazil — Waddling around the perimeter of a prison in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina, geese have edged out their canine predecessors on patrols to make sure inmates do not escape.

Between breaks in their on-site pond, the honking birds, dubbed "geese agents," patrol a green space between the prison's inside fence and main outer wall. Staff say the vigilance of the geese makes them excellent guard animals, even more so than dogs.

"We have electronic surveillance, in-person surveillance ... and finally the surveillance of the geese, which replaced the dogs," said prison director Marcos Roberto de Souza.

Piu-Piu heads the small flock, leading fellow geese in their oversight of the premises. When officers call his name, he emits a distinctive honk.

Souza said tending the flock of geese is more affordable than raising dogs and that the quiet location of the prison makes it a viable option for his facility.

"Nighttime is very quiet. Even during the day as you can see it is a very silent place and at night even more so... The space favours this type of security in the case of the geese," he said.

(Reporting by Anderson Coelho; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)